KYIV, Ukraine, March 24, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Air raid alerts were issued early Tuesday in all of Ukraine except for the Odesa region as Russia launched fresh attacks, according to regional authorities. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned in his daily televised address that "there is information from our intelligence that the Russians may be preparing a massive strike". Russian strikes killed two people in the Poltava region and one person in the Zaporizhzhia region as of early Tuesday, according to their respective regional military administrations.

BAGHDAD, March 24, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - A strike in western Iraq on Tuesday killed a commander and several fighters from the former paramilitary coalition Hashed al-Shaabi, the group said. Seven Hashed al-Shaabi fighters were "killed and 13 wounded in a US strike", the source added. Hashed al-Shaabi, also known as the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), is part of Iraq's regular armed forces but also includes some brigades belonging to Iran-backed groups. Since the start of the conflict, Baghdad has repeatedly denounced attacks on the Hashed al-Shaabi. Last week, the Pentagon acknowledged for the first time that combat helicopters had carried out strikes against pro-Iran armed groups in Iraq during the latest conflict.

But this year's lineup has an added geopolitical edge, with exiled Iranian crown prince Reza Pahlavi emerging as a figure of intense interest. Despite the distractions, CPAC remains a central showcase for conservative politics -- a stage where established figures and rising voices compete for attention, and where the movement's priorities are sharpened ahead of November's elections. Last year's gathering emphasized ideological purity, fights against "woke indoctrination" and a hard-edged "Make America Great Again," or MAGA, identity. Beyond Trump and Pahlavi, the speaker roster underscores the breadth -- and tensions -- within today's conservative movement. North Carolina Senate candidate Michael Whatley, a key Trump ally, is likely to use the stage to sharpen the party's midterm message, particularly on election integrity and turnout.

Dear Eric: One of my oldest friends, Dee, has an 18-year-old daughter, Angie, who recently moved in with her aunt and uncle because she and Dee just could not get along. The way you talk about Angie and the way you treat her really concerns me. Dear Eric: I am 65 years old and have had many friends for many years. My three best friends have decided to completely cut me out of their lives for some inexplicable reason. Should I write to them asking why they did this and let them know what this has done to me?

NEW YORK, March 24, 2026 (BZC/AFP) - Lawyers for the ousted Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro are expected to push for the dismissal of his drug trafficking charges when he appears in a New York court Thursday. Maduro, who autocratically ruled Venezuela since March 2013, was ousted as president in a January 3 raid by the United States. But Pollack said that three hours later, OFAC issued an amended license that blocked him from taking payment for the former president. Venezuela is now led by Delcy Rodriguez, who had been Maduro's vice president since 2018 but is now working closely with Washington. This month, the State Department said it was restoring diplomatic ties with Venezuela in a sign of thawing relations after Maduro's ouster.

HOUSTON, March 24, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Local officials warned residents near a Texas oil refinery on Monday to immediately shelter-in-place "in light of the recent explosion" at Valero's Port Arthur Refinery. "Currently there is a fire in a unit at Valero's Port Arthur, Texas refinery. All personnel have been accounted for," Valero said in a statement, adding worker safety is a "top priority." Local media reports showed tall flames and a plume of black smoke rising from the refinery, and nearby residents reported a loud boom that rattled windows. Located about 90 miles east of Houston, the Port Arthur refinery employs nearly 800 employees to "process heavy sour crude oil and other feedstocks into gasoline, diesel and jet fuel," moving about 435,000 barrels per day, according to Valero's website.

The 92-year-old US judge handling Maduro caseNEW YORK, March 24, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Alvin Hellerstein, the US judge overseeing the case against deposed Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro, is a no-nonsense 92-year-old with a long list of high-profile cases on his CV. "The issue of age cannot be ignored," Shira Scheindlin, a former federal judge in New York, told AFP. Hellerstein has also tangled with Donald Trump, rejecting a request by the US president to have his New York hush money case moved to federal court. His attentiveness will be closely watched in the Maduro case, as tussling between the defense and prosecution has already threatened to draw out proceedings. He was nominated by former president Bill Clinton in 1998 to be a district court judge for the Southern District of New York.

March 23, 2026 Updated March 24, 2026, 10:09 a.m. ETYAIAA spring sports teams are now fully in the swing of their seasons. GameTimePA will record the top performances from around the league for all spring sports from each week. This week will cover all sporting events from March 23-28. As the week progresses, GameTimePA will compile the top performances from both boys and girls sports.

WASHINGTON, United States, March 24, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The US Senate on Monday confirmed Markwayne Mullin as the new chief of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the agency reeling from a partial government shutdown as it works to enforce President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown. Senators voted 54-45 for 48-year-old Republican Mullin, a former wrestler and martial arts fighter who previously served as a senator for Oklahoma. At his confirmation hearing before the Senate last week, Mullin said one of his goals would be to steer DHS and its flashpoint Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency away from the spotlight. The monthlong DHS shutdown has impacted other services overseen by the department, including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the agency responsible for airport security screenings. While ICE is part of the Department of Homeland Security, it has nonetheless been able to maintain operations using funds approved by Congress last year.

At least 66 dead after Colombia military transport plane crashesBOGOTÁ, March 24, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - A Colombian military plane carrying 125 soldiers and crew members crashed on takeoff early Monday, killing at least 66 people and injuring dozens of others, officials said. The C-130 Hercules aircraft went down shortly after departure from Puerto Leguizamo, near the southern border with Ecuador and Peru, strewing burning wreckage on the jungle floor. A military source told AFP that 58 soldiers had died, along with six air force personnel and two police officers. Theborder area where the plane went down has been the scene of heavy military activity in recent weeks, as the Colombian and Ecuadoran militaries try to tackle drug-running cartels and militias. A Bolivian military cargo plane carrying banknotes crashed while landing near La Paz on February 27, leaving at least 24 people dead.

(All times Central) Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts Tuesday, March 24 COLLEGE BASEBALL 7 p.m.Southern Mississippi at Mississippi State — SECN+Austin Peay at Alabama — SECN+7:30 p.m.Louisiana Tech at LSU — SECN+COLLEGE SOFTBALL 7 p.m.Louisiana Tech at LSU — SECN+The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive TV listings provided by LiveSportsOnTV .

(All times Pacific) Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts Tuesday, March 24 NHL HOCKEY 7 p.m.Seattle at Florida — NBCThe Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive TV listings provided by LiveSportsOnTV .

My first stop on this adventure was the Cornell Cinema. I had previously been aware of the Cornell Cinema, as I often meandered past it during my time spent in Willard Straight Hall participating in other activities. Founded in 1970, the Cornell Cinema was created as an opportunity for students to become more exposed to the art of filmmaking. The Cornell Cinema projects more than 75 films a semester, ranging from modern comedies and dramas, all the way to silent films and historical documentaries. When the lights turned back on, I tried to think of the last time I had enjoyed an in-person movie theater experience.

Photo: CollectedDHAKA, March 24, 2026 (BSS) - After a seven-day closure for Eid-ul-Fitr, government offices, banks, and insurance institutions across the country will reopen today marking the return to full-scale administrative and economic activities. Following the extended holiday, a large number of government employees and working professionals have already begun returning to Dhaka from their hometowns. A seven-day Eid-ul-Fitr holiday was announced from March 17 to March 23 on the occasion. The holiday, declared by the Newspaper Owners’ Association of Bangladesh (NOAB), ran from March 19 to March 23 and will also end on Monday. As the holiday period concludes, the country is set to return to its regular rhythm of administrative and financial activities.

State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, CanadaZip Code